Where do I begin?

[DonziDan16]

I'm 18, I've been out of high school for a year, decided not to go straight into college, and am starting to realize I need pick a direction to go in.

I'm not sure exactly what I want to do, but I know it deals with high performance boats. I haven't had much more experience than boating during the summer and making simple repairs. Where do I begin?
I know there are quite a few here on the board that have had, or do have, careers involving boats. Where did you begin?

[Ghost]

How about reposession? (I'm sorry. That was about as cynical and unhelpful as it gets. But I couldn't resist.)

I do wish you the best, and I think folks here will probably have some very good ideas and advice.

[fogducker III]

Sweeping the floor in a marine repair shop is a great place to start............seriously, you will pick up more info than you could imagine......as my Dad use to say, "keep your ears open and your mouth shut.."

I am not being a smart ass but a large number of people now a days don't really understand the value of an "apprentise/mentor relationship, IMO.

[Marlin275]

Start at a boat yard
You'll do everything and see what interests you most . . .

[Sam]

First off you may want to move this thread to the " What ever you want to talk about" area but I'll give you my two cents here.
I can certainly appreciate your enthusiasm for boats and the marine industry, I knew I had the bug at the age eight. The cold hard facts are something you may not want to hear. I say them in the spirit of not wanting to discourage you but rather make you aware of what today's employment situation is, so here they are.

Your on the outside of an industry looking in with really nothing to bring to the table to a potential employer other than a desire to work and learn. That in it's self is not a bad thing but it's probably not enough to carve out an employment path.
If I were in your shoes I would do one or more of the following to get started. Go to your local marine dealers, call a few of the high profile manufactures and in general talk to those that are in the business. Ask them where the industry is going and what voids they see in the marine work force. Ask them where you might get either the training and or exposure so you have something to bring to the table.

It's my opinion that you really need to find some sort of formal education that can be applied to an aspect of the industry that you will enjoy. That said you need to ask yourself some questions I.E. what are my interests. List them in the order in which they appeal to you and then see what it will take to meet your goal.
Such as:
Marine Mechanics
Boat Design
Engineering
Manufacturing
Quality Control
Repair and finish work ( paint and glass work )

I'm sure there are more ideas / options out there but you get the idea :yes:. It's really hard to give you a "one size fits all" answer here in a few paragraphs. At the risk of repeating myself you need an education! You may have all the best intentions of growing in the marine business but the fact is in today's job market you may be forced to go into a different field as you mature. There again you need to be able to bring something to the table and single yourself out from the competition. So what ever you do try to choose an education direction that offers some synergies between industries.

Good Luck !
Sam

[gcarter]

Start at a boat yard
You'll do everything and see what interests you most . . .

Or not.......
My niece wanted a horse, my brother-in-law got her to work in a riding stable, and yep, she started in shoveling out the stalls. She got through that and stuck with it. She still goes riding when she has time while she's working on her degree @ Stetson University.
At your age, you almost can't screw up. Work a couple of years, see what it's all about. You can always go to school, and maybe the boating talents could pay your way there.

[Donziweasel]

Personally, this is probably the worst time in the last 30 years to get a job in the industry. Boat manufactures are in bad shape and there will be many casualties in the next year. We have already seen a few. No one is hiring. Not only that, many qualified people with skills in the industry will be looking for work when they are layed off. This market is going to be saturated.

Without skills, you chances of being hired by anyone is slim to nil. I would suggest what Sam said. Go and get involved in a trade school for glass work, marine engine repair, rigging, something you can bring to the table. Bythe time you have learned your trade, maybe the economy will have turned and manufacurers, repair shops, engine builders, etc.... will start hiring again. I am not trying to be a buzz kill, just trying to be honest.

71,000 people lost their jobs before I got out of bed on Monday........

[Jraysray]

So what ever you do try to choose an education direction that offers some synergies between industries.Sam

Didn't John Adams with Formula start out with one of the major auto makers?

[MOP]

The boat yards in my area have laid of just about everyone, IMO I would go ahead with school. Try for a related field so you have something concrete to offer, remember when things do turn around the experienced guys will go back first you will need something to give you leverage against that to get you foot in the door.

Phil

[BigGrizzly]

You really need to talk to someone who has been there and don that. My Suggestion get a hold of Chris CDMA. Even I did bust his chops, He turned out real well. He does love boats, and has come a long way in a short time.

[dwiggl]

Get yourself subscribed to Professional Boatbuilder Magazine. proboat.com (methinks)
I have read some fascinating articles about people that interact on this sight, in that rag. But more importantly, you will see all kinds of directions that that you can go.
Another idea is Workboat Magazine. There is an acute shortage of TRAINED workboat builders and operators. All kinds of schools & businesses are advertised in that rag.
IMO the end of this downturn is going to mean that there will be a lot of people that have left the industry for good. They will need fresh bodies and thinking in all segmants of the marine industry.
Wish I had asked those questions when I was your age......... I left the boat bus. befor I really got started and have missed it ever since. Now I am stuck in financial services(boy has that been fun....) and DREAM about boats all day! Follow your passion. (no dummy, not gurls......)They will show up by default around boating...
dw

[DonziDan16]

There are only a couple small marinas where I am but I'll see if one might be able to put me to work for the summer.

I had no intentions of being able to jump right into a job (especially in this market) and, as unappealing as it is to me, know I need to further my education.
Sam, puting my interests in order is a great idea. I guess I need to find out what all of my options are first. DW, I will certainly take a look at those mags- hopefully they will help with this.
I have found from working on my car with fiberglass, bondo, paint, ect. that I am sensitive to fumes. This probably knocks out a good deal of possibilities.
Also like the idea of calling companies.

[zelatore]

Personally, this is probably the worst time in the last 30 years to get a job in the industry. Boat manufactures are in bad shape and there will be many casualties in the next year.


The boat yards in my area have laid of just about everyone

What they said...

Many/most of us 'in the business' are seriously asking if we'll have a job this summer. Just this week I was talking with my girlfriend and saying 'crap - if we go under I have no idea where I'm going to go...' Used to be I always had a job opportunity waiting if I wanted to leave. It might be in the service end, or the sales end, but there were people who more or less had standing offers for me.

Those positions are gone. Heck, so are some of the companies.

I don't know what I'd do in your shoes. One thing to keep in mind, most don't exactly strike it rich in this business. It can be tough to make a decent living. Also, don't fool yourself into thinking it will be all fun and games - in the end, it's still a job. I'm sure people like Jamie would agree with me: it's one thing to go out and wrench on your own project because you WANT to. It's quite another to do it day in and day out because you HAVE to.

I'm not trying to sound overly negative (I have been called a regular ray of sunshine before) but things aren't always what they seem when you're looking in from the outside.

That said, if you want to talk shoot me a PM. I'm in the yacht business, not performance boats, but I'm always willing to run my mouth.

[DonziDan16]

My dad is a real estate broker so I know all too well how the market is effecting things. I can only imagine the boat business is 10x worse. Things are bound to pick back up though...eventually...right? So I guess now is a good time to focus on an education. I'm actually working on getting my real estate license right now (not a great time to get into that either). I always thought it would be cool to sell boats though...maybe this will help out down the road.

That ProBoat magazine is fascinating. Maybe I'll take some of their online courses.

[gcarter]

Before I started my business here in Florida, I was involved in mechanical engineerring for 27 years (I think). I started out working in Houston where there's a number of major industries located, not just one or two. The advantage to that was as certain industries cycle downwards, there're other industries that're growing. Well, after about 10-15 years, I had experience in several almost unrelated fields. Like: NASA (aerospace), marine (naval architecture), and transportation (large trucks for geophysical research), even some work in some petroleum refineries. It's very important to develop talents that're flexible to keep working.
As I said above, you're young and there's still time to channge course once or twice. If I were you, I think I would bite the bullet, start to school and get work when and where you can (like summers) in boating or anything else you can find. You'll find even an associate degree helpful.

[Donziweasel]

Things are bound to pick back up though...eventually...right?

The good news is yes, things will get better. The bad news is when. It will not be this coming summer and probably not the summer of 2010 either. Luxury items, including boats, will be the last industries to recover. First, the housing market and auto's will recover.

Also, it will be a slow recovery. People will be very wary of buying unnessesary items for a while, even if they have the money. I think you will start seeing life, if the economy turns around in late 2009, possibly the summer of 2011 or 2012.

[Ghost]

The good news is yes, things will get better. The bad news is when. It will not be this coming summer and probably not the summer of 2010 either. Luxury items, including boats, will be the last industries to recover. First, the housing market and auto's will recover.

Also, it will be a slow recovery. People will be very wary of buying unnessesary items for a while, even if they have the money. I think you will start seeing life, if the economy turns around in late 2009, possibly the summer of 2011 or 2012.

I basically agree with the idea, but I expect all the huge borrowing-and-spending bills will create a temporary false show of relief, followed by a worse bottoming out. I'm worried about a 5-20 year problem, with the debt we'll have racked up. At least in the Depression, we had a country full of real industry. Not sure what we have now.

[zelatore]

I basically agree with the idea, but I expect all the huge borrowing-and-spending bills will create a temporary false show of relief, followed by a worse bottoming out. I'm worried about a 5-20 year problem, with the debt we'll have racked up. At least in the Depression, we had a country full of real industry. Not sure what we have now.

That's it - from now on YOU get the title 'ray of sunshine'!

[Donziweasel]

Well, let me tell you something Mr. Poodle, errr, ....I got nothing......:bonk::)

Damn I been saying that alot lately.

[Ghost]

That's it - from now on YOU get the title 'ray of sunshine'!


And, DW is Ray Sunshine Jr..

Hey, just remember, it's always darkest just before it goes completely black.